THEE RANT

Thursday, September 3, 2009

From the NY Post by Brad Hamilton:The Russian couple suspected in the disappearance of a court translator is now being eyed by investigators searching for a missing NYPD mechanic and a New Jersey man, The Post has learned.

FBI agents are looking into what happened to Michael Klein, a civilian employee who fixed cars for the Police Department and vanished after he sold defendant Dmitriy Yakovlev his home in Sea Gate, Brooklyn, three years ago.

They're also searching for a Russian man who lived in Newark and may have had ties to Yakovlev, according to a source with the US Attorney's Office who declined to reveal the missing man's name.

Dmitriy and Julia Yakovlev stand accused of swiping $43,475 from the bank account and credit card of translator Irina Malezhik (Photo-top left) after she disappeared from her Manhattan Beach home on Oct. 15, 2007.

Klein, who retired from the NYPD in 1992, went missing in 2006 after selling his Manhattan Avenue home to Dmitriy Yakovlev for more than $300,000, a prosecution source said.

None of his family has seen him or heard from him since, the source said.

Dmitriy, 41, has been behind bars since he and Julia, 35, were busted last month and charged with stealing Malezhik's identity. Julia is free on $500,000 bail.

The couple allegedly used money they stole from Malezhik, 47, to buy jewelry and watches.

Dimitriy's lawyer, Kenneth Russo, said the FBI's search produced no evidence against his client.

Asked about the two missing men, Russo said, "Right now, he's not charged in the disappearance of anybody."